Hey Brother, Have you got a Dime of Time to Spare?

So, guys, I'm seeing in the media that we're not doing enough. I'm seeing that childcare is (statistically speaking) falling back on women in disproportionate amounts. I've read the studies. They seem legit. Women are actually winding up unemployed because of all this. We're just not doing enough, enough of the time.

And so, you know, since we did sire those kids after all, it seems like we should try to do better.

I don't have a clue what your circumstances are, only you know that, but let me share mine with you. Maybe they'll be similar.

I'm lucky. I get to work remote. Consequently I'm around the house a lot what with the pandemic and all that. I do a lot with the kids. But lately, I've found myself doing this thing. I've found myself reflecting on how important my job is. And you know, it is, up to a point. Food's nice. Sleeping indoors, also pretty damned spiffy. And yet... I've been finding myself focusing on doing more and more work. And it occurs to me, that's maybe gotta be bad for me, and it's eating time I should probably be spending with the gang.

And so, my latest endeavor is to see what I can do with ten minute windows in my life. What if I spent an extra ten minutes here, and ten minutes there with the kids? I mean, that's probably less time than I spend speaking with co-workers when I'm in an office. It's also how I authored a book, and several articles... ten. minutes. at. a. time.

So, I tried. The 8 y.o. known here by his alias, Towser, has been learning to read faster and faster lately. He's sounding out words, he's wanting to work on it. He needs someone to work with though. So, on my way out of the bathroom the other morning, I picked up the nearest copy of Seven Little Postmen and asked if he'd like to read. He would! Twelve minutes later, I'd been cuddled, he'd read, we were both grinning, and I got back to work.

And when I did get back to work, you know what? I felt better. I was a little more focused. The ideas came just a bit faster, and I was just a little bit more empathetic with all the other people I work with. These are the joy of oxytocin. The joys I'd forgotten for a few weeks.

Last night, my extra ten minute window was spent just sitting with Towser. I popped out my headphones to hear his plaintive wail coming from downstairs. He'd been at a sleepover (in our two family bubble) the night before. He hadn't slept. He'd started an art project. He was falling over tired. It was time to go to bed, and it was all too much. He'd burrowed under a blanket and was sobbing. For once, since I hadn't been the source of the frustration, I got to just sit with him. Guess what? About ten minutes later, he stopped sobbing, we grinned at each other. Everything wasn't all better, (there's a pandemic going on you know), but our little part of that evening sure was better.

So, this ten minute window thing. Give it a try. It's pretty nice.

Other things that can happen in ten minutes:

Dishes can be washed

Trash can be taken out

Shirts can be ironed

Vegetables can be prepped for dinner

And so on. What can you get done in a ten minute window?

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